Monday, December 7, 2015

I’m going to be frank here. Among the few reason I like winter the layering factor and all the cute outwear I get
to wear are key. I’m the girl that always thinks “Oh crap, not this shit again!” once
faced with the winter wonderland everybody seems to love so much.

And I really, really don’t like winter at all. It’s
uncomfortable and so cold you can’t get warm even if you wear a polar bear
around your neck at all times. Not to mention the slippery factor – all that
ice is a permanent accident waiting to happen. I would fast forward it entirely
if possible.

The bright light at the end of the white, freezing tunnel is
my long love affair with winter coats, jackets and wraps.

Despite the cold, I do enjoy getting to wear all my jackets,
trenches and parkas as much as I want. I do find some small satisfaction in the
fact that if I really have to freeze my ass off, I can, at least, do it in
style.

Right about now I feel an itch to add some more outwear pieces to
my collection and I start hunting to take the edge off.

First on my list is something sporty chic to either go with
casual looks or contrast with really feminine outfits. I like a few models from
Lole that I think would make everything better on my daily trips to work when
all I can think of is: Why God, why me?

I would also really, really like to have something like this. Looks awesome!!!

I've also been looking for the perfect black and white geometrical print coat. Of course, the greatest find would be a long, bubblegum pink coat to sweeten the cold winter days.

But I do have to give winter credit this year: it didn’t
snow yet, the temperature were kind of bearable and hopefully until it shows
it’s true face again, because you know it will, I will manage to get my hands
on some goodies to make the cold go away.

In the meantime, let’s hope for unnatural warm weather so I
can go on living peacefully.

Saturday, December 5, 2015

This year went by so fast - I can hardly believe December is already here. Since I’ve been working so hard, I want to take it easy this month, enjoy the party season and go out more.

Dressing up comes natural to me, but due to my line of work I’ve actually become more and more interested in makeup and beauty too. That and the fact I’m getting older I guess.

It’s not like I don’t know how to wear makeup - I can do a mean cat eye in my sleep. The problem is I have a few everyday makeup looks that I always use and never really try anything different. I collected a ton of brushes, color pallets, blushes, lipsticks that I don’t even use all that much.

With the Holidays approaching fast I really want to try some new looks and go full glam. The two main problems are: the lack of time and my inability to decide what looks to go for.

Not to mention there’s a different approach to putting on makeup every day for work, running errands and casually getting together with your friends and then getting ready for the office party at the end of the year or even more glamorous situations. For those who dabble extensively in makeup tutorials and products, knowing what to wear can be simple (just like I find it super easy to put together a really cool outfit in minutes). But what if makeup isn’t your cup of tea?

Really understanding the difference between looking natural and fresh for a family dinner and creating a striking look for New Year’s Eve is a matter of practice. Knowing to use makeup in your favor can be actually empowering.

It’s all about skills and thankfully skills can be learned. It’s just a matter of practice and even beginners can get amazing results with their hair and makeup. Unless you want to be a doctor, you can pretty much become an expert by teaching yourself – that’s the beauty of internet – you can just Google it.

I rely heavily on my Pinterest boards and You Tube videos for inspiration. What colors should I use for a cool smokey eye and how can I apply and blend them to get the perfect result? What shade of lipstick would be better with that and my skin complexion? What hairstyle should I wear with my new glittery dress? Should I wear my hair in loose curls, try and updo, do some braids?

I find infographics very helpful when choosing a look to try out. The one below is one of the best when it comes to what makeup looks to wear for tthe Holidays and which are suitable for casual settings or more formal affairs.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

I can’t point the exact moment
time actually became something I had to manage and stress about, but it did. I
don’t remember feeling the pressure of time as I do now ever before: there was
always plenty of it to just waste without any regrets.

It was never too late for
anything. Sometimes I just want to go back to that state of mind.

This gorgeous wood watch sent
to me by Jord watches made me think about time and how it seems to expand or contract
depending on the way we feel. I love that feeling when I’m really happy and grateful
for being in a beautiful place, for meeting someone really amazing, for finding
a great song and listening to it in a loop for hours, those moments when time
seems patient and almost liquid, when it feels I live in a pastel colored, slow
motion movie.

And this watch makes me want to
capture that peace of mind even if it’s going to be short lived. I usually like
to pile on the jewelry, but this time around I felt that my Cora series watch
made out of KOA wood and rose gold was enough.

I can honestly say this watch is one of
the most beautiful accessories I have to date. Since I’m the psychotic owner of a
huge collection of jewelry, that’s really saying something.

I’m crazy about the idea of a
wooden watch that looks like a high end designer watch, but was created with sustainability,
efficiency, and experimental living in mind. It kind of goes with me – I’m
drawn to retro and vintage design mixed into the modern world we live in.

I can’t help but mention how amazing
of a customer service Jord watches has. Rarely have I had such a smooth communication
with a brand - thank you, Dan for making this such a pleasant collaboration. Usually working with stores and brands can be challenging, but this time it was
easy and enjoyable. They will even customize the size of your watch bracelet to fit your wrist perfectly.

I can’t possibly express how amazing this watch really is so
I’m leaving you with a bunch of photos I took that do it more justice than words could ever do.

Sunday, July 19, 2015

These are probably the most
unusual photos I have ever taken. I always wanted to try a colorful wig on, so
when I had the opportunity, I chose
one in pastel pink. I tried a dramatic, Arabian
inspired eye makeup for the sake of contrast, but looking back, it probably
wasn’t the best decision. The outfit however, I feel, works well with everything.

Since the price was very low and
the wig was synthetic, I didn’t really expect that much.

Once I got it, I was very
surprised the hair looked very “real”, especially considering the color I chose.
You know I have a few sets of natural hair extensions so I was able to make an
informed comparison. The hair strands on this wig mimic the way natural hair
looks very well and it doesn’t have the fake synthetic shine these type of wigs
usually do. It does have plenty of hair, but it gets a bit thinner toward the
ends which actually helps with the natural look too.

On the other hand, the wig cap is
made for Asiatic heads so it was a real struggle to fit it on my medium sized,
European head. If I want to suffer like that, I can always try to put my skinny
jeans on, thank you very much!

It has and adjustable strap at the back that I
didn’t need for obvious reason. Good thing the cap was elastic; otherwise I
couldn’t have worn it. The hair tangles a lot, so don’t throw it in a heap in a
corner because it’s going to be very hard to get it back to the way it first
looked. Trying to brush it, will affect the pretty loose curls the wigs comes
with. Brushing will also result in a lot of shedding as I learned the hard way.
Instead, you can gently comb it with your fingers to get it the shape you want.

Although having a bang doesn’t
really suit me, I went for a wig that has one because I thought it would be
easier to hide my hair line behind it. And I was right about that. Still, it’s
pretty hard to style, but not impossible with a little bit of patience. As you
can see, I tried three different styles: a side ponytail, a cute bun and just
leaving the wig as it was without attempting anything crazy. You can’t really wear
your hair up with this wig, but “low hanging” hairstyles can be achieved.

Weighting the pro and cons, this
is my verdict regarding this wig: Considering how cheap it is, I would
definitely recommend it. It’s great for photo-shoots and themed parties,
cosplay, Halloween and even a festival or concert (but you’ll have to make sure
and secure it on your head the best way you can).

The necklace is from the same
store and it’s incredibly cute and well made – I don’t have anything negative
to say about it. I loved the color combination when I first saw it and it does
look exactly the same or even better in reality.

Disclaimer – The wig and necklace were sent to me as a gift.
This is my honest, unbiased opinion about them.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

I was thinking that I should
really drive my incipient hoarding tendencies into something more constructive
for my wardrobe. Maybe instead of hundreds of rings and really, really
impractical shoes, I should start building a great collection of little black
dresses.

For someone with so many clothes,
I have very few of those. And the one I’m wearing in this photos is the most
recent addition to the madness that is my closet.

I just got it from an alternative clothing store from UK that’s technically specialized in Gothic clothing, but
has so much amazing stuff, it was hard to choose just one dress. Well, I did
get a blue hair dye too – I’m planning something epic for my hair – DIY article
coming soon.

I think this dress might just be
the perfect casual little black dress for summer. It’s 98% cotton, very airy and
has the most adorable details: slightly puffy shoulders, a true sweetheart neckline,
3/4 quarter sleeves, a bow detail at the back and a classic 50s silhouette with
a fitted waist and flared skirt. Scored!!!

The moment I got the package (it
arrived in about a week), I could hear this dress begging for a pin up look and
I like to listen when my clothes talk to me.:)))) Besides, it’s been a while
since I channeled my inner pin up, so here I am: hair scarf and bold lipstick
included.

This is the way the dress was styled on the site and I like it a lot. I have to find a petticoat and try this version as well. As you can see it would be longer for somebody that's not as tall as I am, but other than that is supper flattering for any silhouette and height. I think it would look nice for plus size girls as well - it just has that cut that looks amazing on anyone.

And then there’s the statement necklace – I
love myself some serious rhinestone action resting on my boobs. It was sent to
me by a German online store called Happiness Boutique and it’s glorious. I absolutely
love the mix of silver chains and clear rhinestones and how long it is. They
have amazing customer care, free shipping worldwide and the necklace came very
fast and nicely packaged. If you’re ordering from Europe, you won’t have to
deal with the custom and they also have a customer reward program that you can take advantage of.

This time I didn't went with the classic red lipstick - a staple for pinup makeup. Instead I chose a dark plum (it's from Dior - color 862, Hypnotic Red).

How big is your little black dresses' collection? Do you stack up on anything else?

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

I finally got my hands on one of
those multiway convertible dresses, you guys have probably seen at least once
by now. And man, I’m hooked – this dress
is so versatile I spent a few hours just trying different ways of styling it – some my ideas, other inspired by
obsessively watching videos on You Tube about the many different ways to wear
it.

The special thing with this type
of dress is something simple, but quite ingenious: it’s basically a skirt with
two very long sections in the front that you can tie and wrap around you to
create different dress styles from the waist up so it looks like you have a lot
more than one dress in the same color. And we’re not talking, 2 or 3 more – I
think I’ve seen over 50 variations. The skirt (bottom part) can also be
different: long, midi, short length wise, asymmetrical or normal hem, pleated
or simple style.

Mine was meant to be a maxi
dress, but since I’m super tall, it’s not quite there. It would however be a
very long dress for almost anybody else under 1.75m (5ft8). Thankfully it’s
slightly longer at the back and very stretchy so it still looks good.

I love the color I choose, but I
wouldn’t mind having more in all my favorite shades. Since I’m a big fan of
versatility and I like the cotton blend this is made of, I plan to wear it a
lot this summer.